Trumpet vine (Campsis radicans) is an extremely hardy deciduous vine, which once established can become aggressive, some might say thuggish. Often planted for its beautiful flowers, trumpet vine can have its upsides. Birds, bees and butterflies all love it, especially hummingbirds. Gardeners seeking to lure hummingbirds will do quite well with trumpet vine. If you have trouble with soil erosion on a hillside and can't get anything to take hold and grow, trumpet vine is a great option. It spreads easily by multiple methods including by seed propagation, and will send new shoots up from roots far from the main vine, sometimes as far as 100 feet away!
As you can imagine it's strength and agility can also be a negative. With the ability to produce multiple aerial roots, like Wisteria, it can climb just about anything. This climbing ability, its strength and aggressiveness can combine to pull the siding off of houses, split apart concrete slabs, tear down arbors and other powerful and undesired effects.
Before planting trumpet vine be aware that it needs A LOT of space or A LOT of competition, or preferably both to keep it controlled. Realistically, controlled is more of a wished for future that never comes. Here at Gohn Greene Farms we inherited our trumpet vines and while the blooms are pretty it's on the list, along with privet, of plants which can be pruned or removed indiscriminately without fear of ever entirely wiping it out. This particular vine has taken to the lattice which was intended by the property's previous owner to be a rose garden. I plan on cutting out as much as I can before it goes to seed, and will probably be doing so every year for the foreseeable future.
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